Separating congealable solids from oils



30 as follows: The liquid oil was le Patented Aug. 13, 1929..

UNITED STATES 1,724,132 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHAN FEEDER-IX PITBUS SCHfiNFELD, OF HILVERSUI, NETHERLANDS, ABSIGNOB OI ONE-HAL! IO N. V. DE BATMI'SCHE PETROLEUI KAATSCHAPPIJ, THE

HAGUE, NETHERLANDS.

SEPARATING CONGEALABLE SOLIDS I'BOI 0118.

Application m larch 12,1925, Serial 10. 15,117, and in the itemmnal [arch 24, 1024.

The invention relates to a process of separating solids from mineral, animal or vegetable oilsand fats or mixtures thereof, especially of separating parafiine from parafiine containing oil.

As a rule a parafiine containing oil is separated as much as possible into its components by means of crystallization, as compound crystals may exist of oil and parafiine in all possible proportions. This crystallization takes place in most cases in such a way that the mixture is repeatedly heated or cooled to certain temperatures after which the liquid is separated from the crystals as much as possible. As a'matter of fact this process goes on very slowly, if at any rate a somewhat complete separation of the parafiine and the oil is to be obtained.

It has already been proposed to accelerate v the process by spraying the liquid parafiin' containing oil with water of lower temperature, in which a distribution of the oil to drops takes place and the mass is subjected in this condition to the cooling action of the water; a part of the oil will then more or less proceed to solidification subject to the temperature of the oil and of the water, and may be separated from the rest.

In carrying out this process one (proceeded a jet-pipe into a container and at the same time the water was fed through a conduit arranged around the jet-pipe for the oil. The paraflin particles having the highest 85 melting point solidified nearly immediatel and floated to the surface of the liqui They could then be easily separated from the oil which was removed with the water from the container.

4 Although in the beginning great expectations were bad about this process it has not satisfied in practice so that soon it fell into disuse. This unfavourable result must be ascribed chiefly to the fact that the paraflin by the-cooling action of the water will first solidify at the periphery of the drops, whereby the oil is enclosed in these drops and later on no partial solidification may take place. Therefore only a very incomplete separation of the paraflin and removal of the oil with lower melting point takes place so that for obtaining a somewhat favourable result it is necessary to melt repeatedly the'solidified paraffin and to spray it again. The repeated through of lower temperature and the atomized mass soon after leaving the atomizer'is brought close to water which is also atomized.

The invention also comprises a process in which the removal of the liquid phase begins immediately after the atomizing. I

The process will be carried out preferably by atomizing the paraflin containing oil in an. By the atomizing, a very fine division of the oil is obtained which is much finer than is possible when spraying the oil into water. It causes the parafiin with a certain specific weight to separate-practically fully in the extremely small particles of oil. By the application of the water as a fog a very uiek transmission of the heat is obtained mm the oil via the air to the water fog, by which the output of paraflin of the desired low specific weight is much more favourable in connection with the chosen circumstances than in the known processes.

I proceed for instance as follows:

On the delivery pipe of the oil to be treated one or more atomizers are arranged by which the oil may be atomized in a closed room which, for regulatingthe temperature, may be ventilated. Preferably I take care that the temperature of the oil when leaving the atomizers is about 3/10 0. higher than its solidifying oint.

By means 0 a second delivery pipe with atomizers water is atomized. The atomizers forthe oil and the water are so arranged that the fog of oil and that of water meet at some distance from the atomizing mouths. The fine drops of paraflin, which are for the greater part solidified, after rising fall on a sieve bottom where the paraflin sticks together and forms a porous layer, the oil flowing ofl through it.

For continuously carrying out the process it is recommendable to arrange the sieve bottom with some inclination. The layer or 'paraffin so obtained moves slowly down- Ward on the inclined bottom and may be led out of the work-room. At the same timethe favourable result is obtained that in the mass channels arise in longitudinal direction through which the oil penetrates through the layer of paratfin and flows away through the sieve bottom.

The accompanying drawing shows in Fig. l a vertical section of an installation for applying the new process.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the delivery pipes along the line 11-11 in Fig. 1.

In the work-room 1 the delivery pipe 2 for the parafiin containing oil is arranged which is provided with the atomizers 3. Under it the perforated bottom 4 is found on which the solid paraffin slowly slides downto the channel 5, the oil which has remained liquid flowing through it and on the bottom 6 to the conduit 7. The second delivery pipe' 8 provided with atomizers serves for supplying the water which is also atomized. Both fogs get into touch at some distance above the mouths of the atomizer-s.

The whole work-room, especially the sieve bottom 4, is arrangedwith some inclination, openings 11 and 12 being arranged preferably at the front and the back so that if desired a quick ventilation of the workroom may take place.

The solid paraffin arrives in the container 13 with steam-conduit in which it is melted for further treatment, the liquid oil is I caught in the container 14 from where it may once more be atomized for depositing separated. Also in this container 14 a deposit of parafiin t'akes coming therein.

It is clear that the melting point of the parafiin obtained in this way is dependent upon the temperature of the paraffin containing oil, the speed by which it is atomized and the temperature of the atomized water. The conditions of working are chosen in connection with the nature of the material and the environment and also with the nature of the obtained.

I claim: 1. The process of separating congealable solids from mineral, animal, vegetable or paraffin oils containing them which comprises atomizing the oil in a cool atmosphere containing a fog of water particles.

2. The process of separating solidifiable place from the foam matter from oils containing them in unsolidified condition Which'comprises atomizing oil of the character stated into an atmosphere containing a fog of water particles at a temperature sufiiciently low to produce congelationof said substances in said atomized particles and thereafter sepa rating uncongealed material from that which is congealed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHAN F. P. SCHGNFELD.

product which is desired to be I 

